Music, Dances, and ClothingThe Paiutes used very few instruments in their music. In fact, the drum was not used at all until they made contact with the white men. The instruments that were traditionally used were Shaman's rattles and sticks beaten during hand games. Sometimes it was just a singer's voice that was used for music.
The oldest and most common dance performed by the Paiutes was the Round Dance. Participants would dance clockwise in a circle around a singer. This event would occur about three times per year for Spring fishing season, Fall pine-nut harvest, and the November rabbit drives. Another dance was the Ghost Dance. This dance was considered a religion and was believed to free the Indians from the white man's control.
Traditionally, they wore a breechcloth made of skin or vegetable fiber that hung from a belt of bark or antelope skin. They usually wore moccasins of animal skin or sandals of sagebrush bark. To keep warm during the winter months, they wore robes made of strips of rabbit fur and capes of animal skins.
The oldest and most common dance performed by the Paiutes was the Round Dance. Participants would dance clockwise in a circle around a singer. This event would occur about three times per year for Spring fishing season, Fall pine-nut harvest, and the November rabbit drives. Another dance was the Ghost Dance. This dance was considered a religion and was believed to free the Indians from the white man's control.
Traditionally, they wore a breechcloth made of skin or vegetable fiber that hung from a belt of bark or antelope skin. They usually wore moccasins of animal skin or sandals of sagebrush bark. To keep warm during the winter months, they wore robes made of strips of rabbit fur and capes of animal skins.